Paternity Determination

Establishing paternity can be an emotional process and it can also be tied to large family assets. Connatser attorneys have worked successfully for both men and women either proving or disproving paternity.

Blood tests have been used for many years to prove that a man was not a child’s biological father. It could not establish that he was the father. Today proving paternity has become much easier because of DNA testing.

Such technologically advanced techniques can establish paternity to a 99% probability and still the courts see numerous cases of mistaken paternity or paternity fraud. When a man who wants to be identified as the child’s father is prevented from doing so by the mother, the father should assert his rights in the family court system. A mother can also assert her rights in court when she wants a father to take responsibility for supporting his child and he refuses.

Under Texas Family Code Section 161.005, a man who finds out he is not a biological father through DNA testing can petition the court to terminate the parent-child relationship. If the court determines he is not the biological father, his future child support obligation stops immediately, except for unpaid child support. A judge may grant visitation rights to a man who seeks it, even if he is not the biological father, if his absence from the child’s life will cause mental harm. The new law also allows a man who signs an acknowledgment of paternity form at the hospital after a child’s birth to later challenge paternity with a DNA test.

Even with new laws providing relief, paternity continues to be a big issue in a society where men are taking a greater role in their children’s lives than in past generations. Along with the emotional upheaval of confirming the identity of a child’s father, the economic stakes can be enormous. Paying child support and bringing support payments up to date can involve thousands of dollars, but the question of who inherits assets in wealthy families can involve millions. You must have a Texas family law attorney who knows the laws of paternity and their application. That can make all the difference in protecting your rights.

Connatser attorneys have experience in paternity law and use the most advanced methods to prove or disprove that a man is the father of a child. The attorneys of Aubrey M. Connatser, PLLC, are available to answer questions on paternity and your rights in that legal area. Contact them by email or by calling 214 306-8441.